Bratac's Quest-Shooter's Redemption
by trekgatewars5
Summary: Bratac must discover what has happened? Where has Teal'c gone? And what threats still remain? Sequel to From the Well...
1. Bratac's Education

How Bratac sees and learns what happened in _From the Well..._

Bratac answers the many questions of Chulak, including what happened? His answers leads him to discover that one of the invaders may still be present on Chulak.

* * *

_Ouch! That had to hurt! _ The old Jaffa thought to himself as he watched an enemy soldier shove Teal'c through the Stargate.

_That fool Teal'c. If he had made up his mind that these-_ Bratac had to pause. He was not sure what word to use for these humans whom Teal'c seemed to join. Were they the armies of an enemy Goa'uld? Were they Tokra, finally coming out of the shadows to battle the Goa'uld openly? There were too many questions to answer in the middle of this firefight. He returned to his original thought that if Teal'c had abandoned his post as First Prime to Apophis, then he must believe that these-people-could help free the Jaffa from the Goa'uld.

Bratac observed the battle, standing in the open from his view on the ridge above the gate. He had arrived at a curious time. The human soldiers were seemingly risking their lives against a death glider to rescue a hodge podge of humans with various skin hues, and attire. Bratac did not know how to interpret the fear on the faces of those he knew to be prisoners of Apophis. He knew they were from different planets, and that many of these people were to be the new hosts for Apophis and his Underlords.

He had raised his staff weapon to Teal'c, and then watched as an unfortunate soldier tackled Teal'c through the gate. The gate-Bratac wondered which of the soldiers knew about the gate and what they knew. Or perhaps which was a Tokra? No Jaffa, or human, he knew of ever dared to use the gate, it was the province of the gods. _No doubt the Tokra coward went through first_.

Bratac continued watching as the mechanical carriage went through the gate. Soldiers took up positions to hold the gate and cover the others. At last the rolling fortress went through as it was struck by laser fire from the death glider. The blast injured one of the soldiers. Bratac watched as another jumped on, held the injured soldier in place, and the armor went through the gate.

Had these new _enemies_ been motivated by compassion and loyalty to each other? Bratac decided he must test this. Bratac fired his staff weapon in front of a soldier running in from a position to his left. The shot hit the ground and flung dirt into the soldier's eyes. The soldier held his eyes and dared not move, curled up almost in the fetal position.

Bratac now focused his attention on the soldier. One soldier, a darker skinned man, stopped to assist his fallen comrade, while one more mysterious and loud noise came from the woods to the south. One man on a smaller carriage, this one more like a mechanical horse with wheels, came out of the woods and raced up to the fallen soldier and his aid. The two healthy men got the injured up on the _horse_ and then drove toward the gate.

Now Bratac could hear the unmistakable sound of a cargo ship coming toward the gate.

The motor-horse revved toward the gate stopping to let the dark-skinned soldier off to help cover the retreat of the others-where now another enemy soldier was also injured.

Bratac could see that the tactics of the enemy's retreat were sound. They covered each other while they moved closer to the point where they could all escape together. They cared for their injured, even to the point of putting themselves out in the open of a firefight. _This takes discipline and training, as well as care for the others counting on you._ He discerned that discipline and loyalty were valued among these soldiers. _They might be worthy of Teal'c after all._

He continued watching as the back of the cargo ship opened. The enemy soldiers did not fire into the cargo ship indiscriminately, but seemed to know intuitively that friends were on board. He watched two men step from the cargo ship. The first was a young man, and the second was a man-Bratac was forced to assume-dressed in black, from the top of his head to the souls of his boots. They were dragging Amonet, who was mostly unconscious. Amonet had not had this body more than two days, but Bratac had seen her once already. She was unmistakable.

Then Bratac watched as there was a flash of light in the ship. It jerked and a woman screamed. A man ran into the ship, fired his staff weapon, and came out quickly, struggling to carry a woman with striking red hair.

And then Bratac lost sight of everything. A series of explosions around the gate-grounds caused a landslide. Bratac was thrown back by the explosion. Then as the ground around him slid into the bowl he slid with it. He tried to maintain his footing, but ended up instead with his head buried in sand and his feed dangling in the air. He looked to be sure no one had seen him.

He was quick to regain his composure and look up as two Jaffa rushed the gate. Lar'ant was first to the gate and he dove in, disappearing. _Lar'ant was always a fool_ , Bratac thought.

He was followed by Kwan, who like Lar'ant dove through the gate. But Kwan's fate was slightly different. As he dove through the gate, there was an explosion in the cargo ship and Kwan flew through the gate, through the air and off the gate platform onto the rocky ground behind the gate.

_He deserved that, _thought Bratac. _He is not as brash as Lar'ant, but he is perhaps a bigger fool for knowing better, and following him. He was more fortunate, and perhaps he will learn from his mistake._ The gate had closed and preserved Kwan's life at the cost of his dignity.

Bratac quickly rose to his feet, and ran to the platform. Only a handful of Jaffa joined him. They stared at him. He warily walked up to the open hatch on the jostled cargo ship. "Cover me." Two Jaffa pointed staff weapons into the ship as Bratac entered, squinting in the darkness.

The inside of the cargo ship was charred. To his left he saw a body. Bratac stooped to look closer at the face. It was perhaps the strangest, most welcome and confusing site he had seen in years. Apophis, or what was left of Apophis, lay there dead.

There his god lay, dead. The explosion had destroyed his body. Apophis did not even have the remains of one of his hands. Next to him lay a charred staff weapon.

Bratac walked over to the pilot seat. Bratac sighed with sadness at the sight. Someone had blasted Hon'Teck through the seat into his back, and he was dead. The explosion was intended to be small and was far enough away not to damage Hon'teck's body further.

Bratac took time to formulate a single theory of what had happened in the ship. Someone had shot Hon'Teck in the back, causing the ship to jerk in the air and injuring the woman who had screamed. The blast had come from inside the ship. The soldier who had come out carrying the woman, had fired shots, but only after the erratic landing and the woman's scream. The fact that none of the soldiers fired into the hold had impressed Bratac.

This story did not make complete sense to Bratac. Who shot Hon'Teck? The only people in the ship were Apophis and the woman, and she was caught off guard. If that is so, then Hon'Teck had joined Teal'c in his insurrection. He would not speculate on the story aloud until he could prove it, better to be silent than proved a fool. Even then he would be reluctant to share it with just anyone.

As Bratac came out from the ship, he could see along the northern rim of the gate area that troops from his company were coming out of the forest. Only a dozen or so men seemed to be unharmed. The fort's captain had been killed in the initial blast, and the other officers were scattered, or petrified, so Bratac had taken charge of their march to the Chappa'ai. The Jaffa from the western forest noted that their commander would be their shortly to take charge.

In the meantime, Bratac ordered that they begin to find their wounded. He ordered Kwan and one of his most trusted students, Sa'Tol, to take Hon'Teck's body quietly and bury it not far from the path to Chulak city. No one was to know about Hon'Teck, or where he was buried. Sa'Tol understood, and Kwan was mortified at Bratac's observation of his flight. No one else had said anything about the dive and Bratac promised to maintain the utmost discretion, provided Kwan would earn it.

He told them not to return after burying Hon'Teck, but to go back to the fort and help in the cleanup there. There had been over 300 Jaffa at the fort. 40 had gone to Chulak city, and only 65 had left for the gate. Many had been injured or killed in the initial explosion. A few had stayed behind to help clean up and sort out the injured and others.

From all fronts there now seemed to be about two dozen more men who came out from the woods. He divided the men into three groups. Some would continue searching the surrounding areas so they could separate the wounded and dead on the gate-grounds. A second group was sent to various surrounding villages to summon more help. They would need much help to assist with the cleanup of the capital city, the fort, and the battlefield surrounding the gate. Bratac sent the third group, only a couple of men, to the fort and capital to bring back reports. Bratac wanted to be able to give a proper report when a First, or a Goa'uld arrived. Three of these men would go to Chulak to survey the damage, and perhaps find Klorel, Apophis' son, and the other Goa'uld. Bratac hoped they had suffered the fate of Apophis, but the Goa'uld had a way of slithering out of danger.

As men began leaving the area of the Chappa'ai, the gate began to whirl. Bratac ordered his men to take up firing positions. They lined up in a semi-circle around the opening of the gate, but nothing came out. It stayed open for several tense minutes, and then closed. Nothing came through, no sound, no person, no weapon.

The casualty reports were astounding. Most of the men in Bratac's company were injured, either at the fort or in the woods to the north of the gate. There were fewer injuries to the west, only a scouting party had arrived to battle the humans.

Jaffa coming from the city now reached the gate grounds. They had passed the men Bratac had sent there to find Klorel. They had no word from the remaining Goa'uld, but they did describe the destruction of the citadel and the surrounding neighborhood. Many people had been frightened away from the city by the loud noises and explosions prior to the massive explosion. The final explosion was probably connected to a naquadah source.

More importantly, they described the actions and words of Hon'Teck. Someone had killed several guards in the prison and blasted a way out for the prisoners. They told Bratac that the humans had interrupted the _Choosing. _They spoke of the young man who Apophis had killed. Bratac quickly realized he was one of the men propping Amonet. The sarcophagus would have easily healed him. Several had seen the "Scarlett Plague", whom many Jaffa preferred to call the "Red Witch". Bratac recognized instantly of whom they spoke, remembering the injured woman carried from the cargo ship. They spoke of O'Neill the Slayer of Ra. They mentioned the "Black Death", who frightened them more, because of his other name, "One Who Sees the Goa'uld," whom Bratac believed he had seen as well. Hon'Teck had called them the Tauri, a word which did not mean anything to most of the Jaffa.

There was some reaction though, especially among Bratac's most trusted students. He glared at them. They said nothing.

_Ra, dead? _ he thought. What Goa'uld would dare make such a statement?

The _Tauri_. _If this was the work of the Tauri, their arm has grown long indeed, _he thought. The story was quietly handed down by Bratac's forefathers for generations. The Tauri had fought Ra millennia ago, and had rid their home world of him and the Goa'uld. The story was anathema to the Goa'uld. Any mention of the Tauri led to the immediate disappearance of the speaker, thorough questioning of all present, and harsh promises of retribution should the story ever be heard.

He had taught the story to a few of his students, among them Teal'c and Hon'Teck and they both knew to keep it secret. Indeed, they both had apparently deserted their god Apophis. He began to piece things together, Hon'Teck would have known where to find Apophis and the cargo ship, and then would have brought them to the gate. Bratac now firmly believed that Apophis had shot Hon'Teck in the back.

Bratac returned to the job at hand. He put each new arrival to work. He used his considerable knowledge to aid the wounded. Many he knew would recover quite well thanks to their symbiotes. In others, the symbiote had been injured. He sent men to the city to go to the Goa'uld nursery in hopes of replacing injured symbiotes. He could not be sure the nursery was still there, but he hoped.

Finally Curack arrived. He was the commander of the militia to the west of the gate. He was a Second Prime, and had brought a company of Jaffa with him. He had been a rival to both Bratac and Teal'c. Apophis had rightly recognized Teal'c's superior diligence to his own skill, and in battle preparations.

Curack was able to send larger groups of men to the devastated fort and city. Bratac relinquished his leadership role to Curack. As Jaffa began arriving from the surrounding villages to help, things moved even more quickly.

Then the gate opened again. As before the Jaffa stood tense around the gate, ready to fire at anything that came through. After a few minutes, it closed again with no sign of anything. It appeared to Bratac that the gate had opened about two hours apart.

Curack ordered that Apophis body be set in honor until news of Klorel reached the gate.

The rest of the day they searched for and treated the wounded. At the last hour of sunlight, after the gate had mysteriously opened again, one of the Jaffa Bratac had sent to Chulak city returned announcing that Klorel and the gods would be arriving shortly to leave this world. Klorel had ordered all recovery work by the Jaffa ceased until he and the other gods had left the planet. All Jaffa were to protect their gods. Bratac smirked at this, _What true god would need protection?_

Bratac knew better than to be openly angry about Klorel's orders. Curack was a man loyal to his gods and no fool. Curack did, however, like the gods, lack compassion.

Curack ordered all preparations be made for the arrival, and subsequent departure, of the gods. The wounded and dead were moved as quickly as could be to the north edge of the field. He aligned the Jaffa in formations of honor where they waited for their gods.

Bratac quietly disappeared into the woods where he continued searching. The next day he wanted a full accounting of every Jaffa. Curak would not see to that, and Bratac felt it his responsibility to sort out what had actually happened, and what it all meant. He had little time to do it before the clues were gone so this meant someone else would have to be responsible for the recovery operations.

Finally the gods approached, Bratac returned to the gate-grounds. He wanted to see their eyes, to read their faces, especially when they saw Apophis.

And see Apophis they did. Goddesses put their hands to their mouths. Gods had looks of dread. Klorel looked sternly at Apophis. Doubts appeared in his face-_this could happen to me._ Bratac saw the look, it could not be hidden.

"Have six Jaffa lift him, and follow me through the Chappa'ai," Klorel ordered. The Jaffa complied. Several more Jaffa were lined up to act as an honor guard as the gods left to go to their homeworld.

Klorel walked to the dialing device. He pushed the first button. Nothing. No lights, no whirl, no sound. Nothing. He tried again. He tried a different key. He tried several keys.

He looked distressed, but he took on the arrogant air of the Goa'uld, "What is wrong with the Chappa'ai?" No one answered. Bratac held his chuckle, the god could not make the gate work.

Finally one Jaffa who had come as one of Curack's scouts spoke, "It was the woman. Another witch. She opened the stand, put her head inside, and made fire come from it. She has cursed it with a hex. She must be a Gate-Witch".

Bratac thought quickly. The existence of the Tokra was only known to a few Jaffa, and apparently not to this one. This _Gate-Witch, _must have been the Tokra. Bratac had not made it to the gate area in time to see the humans-or Tauri, Goa'uld, or Tokra, or whoever- open the gate, so he had not seen this woman.

He deeply regretted now that the gate was not working. The Goa'uld would be stuck there on Chulak, too close for Bratac's desire.

Klorel became furious. He was slightly taller than Bratac. He had sandy brown hair, and had the leathery skin of a lighter man who had spent too many hours in the sun. He was one who was to have chosen a new host. His new host was, no doubt, long gone.

Klorel did not have as much experience as his "father", Apophis. Bratac was not sure how a Goa'uld could have offspring, but he had watched Apophis treat Klorel unlike he treated anyone else. Except that it is sadistic, their relationship was a genuine father/son relationship-almost touching.

But now Klorel was without his father's guidance. Bratac realized that this made Klorel unpredictable and dangerous. He could order the Jaffa to commit suicide as punishment for failing Apophis, and some would do it.

"Protect the gods, surround them," Bratac found himself saying. "The gate could open at any moment, we must protect the gods." In that moment they all needed authoritative action. Klorel could not provide that, and Curack would not. Only Bratac had the equity to pull it off. "My lord, Klorel," who was now looking more nervous, "We know the gate cannot dial out, but it is still able to dial in, we have seen it. Clearly only a god could murder a god. The threat is still very real. Without a sarcophagus, Apophis cannot be resurrected, and you must command us. May I suggest that the palace guard move you away from the gate."

Klorel spoke in his two tone voice, "Bratac, Jaffa master, you will escort us to Point Forward. I have had it secured. The underground base is opened. There is a ball there and I can send for a ship."

"Your words honor me," said Bratac almost choking, but he needed to be away from everyone, "but among the Jaffa I am known as the best tracker. My skills would best be used exploring the grounds for any remaining enemies. I request that I be allowed to track the battle fields for evidence of an enemy spy." What he told Klorel was mostly true, though as of yet he had no real reason to suspect any enemy soldier still remaining on Chulak. It certainly was possible and gave him an excuse to be away from the gods.

But Bratac also knew there must be some reason the gate was dialing in. Someone was dialing in on a regular basis, as if looking for something.

"See to it, and if you fail it will be your head!" Klorel was Goa'uld, and when provided with an opportunity to intimidate and threaten, he would use it to save face. Bratac also knew that the threat of someone there who had killed Apophis would frighten Klorel. Bratac had saved face for Klorel without his knowing it, as well as made himself Klorel's protector. Now he could work in peace with a mission assigned by the gods-a mission of his choosing.

"And bring Apophis so we can deal with his body after our fashion." Klorel and the procession of gods, guards, and the body of Apophis left via the path to the southeast. It would take them hours to get to the relative safety of Point Forward. With their departure, the Jaffa at the gate began to take ease. Curack would work into the night while other Jaffa found they must rest.

Bratac surrounded himself with several of his students. They were off by themselves around a fire preparing to sleep for a few hours when one of them, Chal, asked, "What does all this mean, Master Bratac? Teal'c has turned Shova with someone who has killed," he paused as if trying to calculate numbers, "possibly thousands of his brother and sister Jaffa. These enemies and their weapons fight cowardly."

"Did you watch them fight? They were not cowards. And there must be some reason for Hon'Teck to have said that one of them killed Ra. Look more closely at how they fought. They fought with a purpose- a mission."

"Look at, for a moment, what they accomplished. They destroyed the Choosing. They killed Apophis. They took his slaves, either as captives-or they freed them, which is why Teal'c and Hon'Teck would have helped them. They destroyed a Goa'uld castle, as well as means for their enemy's pursuit. They also captured Amonet, a goddess queen. No Goa'uld would waste time with slaves. No Tokra would care for a prisoner. And the biggest question to me, who could use the Chappa'ai, and then have the knowledge to sabotage it."

"Then we are now to obey Klorel, who is weak and whom you can control," noted the young T'Lack, eager to break the young god.

"But things are actually worse for us. When Chronos, or Yu, or one of the other Goa'uld realizes Apophis is dead, they will seek to destroy Klorel and his armies, which means us. They may already know about Ra, in which case one of them is already seeking to usurp the others. This attack may have been a first move by one of them attempting to replace Ra. No my friend, these are perilous times for the Jaffa."

In truth, the style of these enemies also bothered Bratac. It was not the combat of the Jaffa. They had destroyed so many lives, so many of his students and friends, and done so with too much efficiency. He wondered, though, if they had not been capable of more destructive force. And if so, why had they spared them?

"What about," Chal swallowed hard and choked on it. He finally was able to speak again, "What about the Asgard?"

_So many names out of the depths of memory,_ thought Bratac. He had seen an Asgard ship over a-hundred years ago. No one spoke of what was going on, and any Jaffa present at the meetings had been executed. Bratac had figured the Goa'uld did not want any signs of weakness leaking to the rest of the Jaffa. But those on the Hateks had been allowed to live, provided they knew nothing about the negotiations.

Bratac had learned some knowledge of the Protected Planets Treaty when a Choosing had taken place. While the former host of one of the Goa'uld was dying, his last words were of fear of the Asgard and the Treaty. He knew very little of star charts, but one day Bratac was studying them and realized that the meeting place had been on the edge of Goa'uld space, and that no Goa'uld-to his knowledge-ever crossed that line. This realization began to add life to the stories he had heard from his father and to limit-in his mind-the power of the Goa'uld. They even seemed weak by comparison to the Asgard.

But Bratac had not heard of another meeting with the Asgard. This was not their style. He had never seen an Asgard, but felt that if he did, he would be awed by the experience. "No, this was not the Asgard. I think they simply would destroy their enemies, not attack in this guerrilla style."

As they sat around the fire, each of them pondered the violence of the day. They thought of Teal'c, Hon'Teck, Apophis. They thought of the destruction and the rolling fortress. Bratac thought of the embarrassment of the gods, in particular the humiliation they must feel when confronted with their own mortality-a mortality they have avoided looking into. They were powerless.

Most Jaffa could only rest in horrific fits of sleep-for only seconds. The gate continued to open during the night, and each time Jaffa would rush to the gate and surround it with weapons aimed at the gate. Bratac thought that if the enemy were dumb enough to come through the gate with so many Jaffa there to greet them, they deserved what they got, and would not be the hope Teal'c had deserted his life for, and that Hon'Teck had died for. Throughout the night, Bratac was not disappointed. Bratac slept the sleep of the peaceful and saved, wondering what the next day might bring.

It was a short sleep. More Jaffa had come during the night. Now there were hundreds of Jaffa at the gate area. Most were just sitting around. Since Klorel had ordered the rescue work ceased at Chulak city, Curack was hesitant to send troops there for the purpose. Finally the gate ceased its opening at regular intervals.

Bratac began to get ready for the day when a procession arrived from the west. Many had come from the villages under Curack's leadership. Among those was his wife, Sho'ra.

Curack would be cold, but his wife, Sho'ra, however, was full of compassion. Curak had, no doubt, ensured she would arrive today so as not to be separated from her. He was a jealous man, and often petty.

Among the women of the Jaffa, Sho'ra was a radiant beauty. She had no interest in combat, or priestly duties, did not require wealth or fame, but rather served as a priestess-scholar.

Her father, Toren'ra, had been one of Bratac's friends from youth. He had been killed while Sho'ra was still a child. He was killed in a petty battle between Apophis and Sokar. Neither side had won. Ra had intervened, resulting in his own personal seizure of the disputed area. Bratac had never told Toren'ra, nor Sho'ra for that matter, his family secrets. Toren'ra was a good man, but not discreet.

Sho'ra was wise, though her husband thought her a "silly scroll worm". She was her husband's equal in force of will, if not in physical prowess. Toren'ra had enrolled her in the Apophis' priestess' training at a young age. Bratac, as her god-father, had actually hoped to arrange a marriage between Sho'ra and Hon'Teck. Apophis, however, had granted to Curack-a devout and skillful warrior-a dispensation so he could marry the beautiful Sho'ra as his third wife. She was about one-sixth his age. No one could oppose the will of the god.

Curack's children hated Sho'ra, and several chose to serve Ba'al in opposition to Apophis. One son, Cural, had sought out Bratac for the purpose of gaining advice and help in killing her, seeing her as an interloper and taking the place of their mother. Bratac convinced him this was a bad idea, and Cural became one of his most skilled students, in whom he was beginning to confide the truth of the gods. Bratac was convinced that the Tauri, if that was truly who had been there, had killed him with the first blast at the fortress. He was saddened by this possibility.

Bratac finished his preparations for the day and approached Curack. He had to be cautious. Curack would never let his wife leave the gate area. Bratac did not need her to, he just needed her to be informed, and to use her wisdom to take charge.

"Curack, I will examine the battlefield, and then I will take my leave of you."

"What do you hope to find Bratac, magic? They killed Jaffa. They were led by the Sho'va Teal'c, and Hon'Teck. What more do we need to know?"

"How about what the weaknesses are in the way they fight? How do we defeat their strengths? What are their tactics and strategies? What are the powers of these _Witches, _and the Black Death?

"Look at the ground." Bratac leaned over and picked up several small metal tubes. He held one in the air. "The weapons they fire propel metal in attempt to seer flesh, but why do these pieces remain?"

"It does not matter, they will not return. And if they do, my men will kill them?"

"You are right, they will not return. Nevertheless, Klorel has given me a task, as he has given you one."

Finally Sho'ra, who had been listening from a distance, spoke up, "Let us not deter Master Bratac from his assignment any longer. It is dangerous to delay the will of the gods."

"You are wise, as always my wife," stated Curack, nodding to his wife and then looked despising Bratac.

Before Bratac could walk away, Sho'ra asked her husband, "And what task have the gods assigned you?"

"I am to secure the Chappa'ai. No one comes through and lives."

She looked around as if noticing for the first time, "Why are these Jaffa still lying injured?"

Curack did not answer. "A great battle has taken place. Apophis is dead, Amonet is taken, and the gate is broken. Chulak city is destroyed, as is the fort that housed my company."

"Curack, I realize your mission is to secure the gate, and see to it there are enough men to guard the gods. Have you not done that sufficiently?" asked Bratac. "Please let these men who are sitting idly by be mustered to help cleanup this area and take care of our injured."

Curack was reticent to do this, but Sho'ra seemed to know both Bratac and her husband well. "I will see to all the arrangements from here, just assign Jaffa who will answer to me and serve the needs of our people." Curack geared up for a big fight with his wife, but thought better of it. He did not wish to have his authority questioned in front of the Jaffa.

"Do as you will. You may have one company, and the men who are already at the fort, as well as anyone who arrives at the citadel." She graciously thanked her husband, calling him _lord, _and then quickly set to work.

Bratac was releaved. He took about an hour exploring the battlefield. He found hundreds of shells. He found the places where each enemy soldier had hidden. He found boot prints. He had some trouble because of the explosives that had been set around the gate area. In fact, the explosions had changed the landscape.

He examined the dialing device. Mechanical things made his head spin, but he did notice the burn marks and the missing keys and wondered why Klorel had not reacted to them.

At the mid-day meal, Bratac went back to the previous morning in his mind. He looked around and saw the violent destruction, and thought of the huge explosions and the exactness with which the enemy had destroyed two military strongpoints, and attacked a third. Then he thought of his own march from the fort. It was somehow different.

There in the field, several smaller explosions had hit in front of his formation, as if trying to deter his men, rather than kill them. It had worked on many, and others had only been roused by the Bratac's own determination and prompting.

But then there was the curious occurrence as most of the men were leaving the field. Someone had propelled five projectiles at his men. Five, not dozens, or scores, or hundreds. Five. Two had missed. He had seen the dirt fly from the impact of two of them, and he had gone to aid three men, each hit in the leg. Again, to keep them from the battlefield, not to kill them. Was this a sign of compassion on one's enemies?

He knew that now he had to hurry. He took four Jaffa with him and retraced his steps from the battlefield. Bratac raced for the first part of the journey. Once he reached the area that seemed familiar, he ordered the others that had come with him to remain about twenty five yards behind, so as not to disturb the scene.

Bratac looked around. He tried hard to remember positions. Where had he stood when his men had been shot down? Where had he touched them? Where had he stood, staring into the trees knowing-feeling someone was there? Where had he looked? He knew to trust his instincts, he just needed bearing.

He looked for where his fallen men had lay. He moved closer to the forest and a little further and closed his eyes. He thought closely the events of the previous day. As he opened his eyes he saw the ground his men had disturbed. Then he saw the ground where the dust exploded, impacted by an enemy weapon that had missed the target. He stood straight, looked at the forest across the field and noticed a tree that stood out. It was the highest tree and would offer a view for miles around.

"Follow me!" He ran across the field. He reached the forest and continued looking up. They all wrestled through the underbrush to the base of the tree. When they reached the tree he selected T'Lack to climb the tree after him because T'Lack was small.

Bratac climbed carefully and would stop at a branch to look out into the field. After a couple of these stops, T'Lack heard "Aha!"

"What is it Master Bratac?"  
"Do you remember what happened to three of our men in the field, how their legs where pierced with enemy fire?"

"Yes."

"Our enemy was here, this is where his hiding place was." He reached down to T'Lack with torn fabric. "As you climb past, you will also see where the bark has been warn, and those limbs there bent to allow for a view of the field. I will move out of your way. You climb as high as you can, observe carefully, and come back down and report to us what you have seen."

"Yes, Master. But what am I looking for?"

"Look at the landscape and ask yourself, if I were an enemy, what would I want to see? I already know, but you must report to us from what you have seen with your own eyes. Don't fail or I will flog you."

"Yes, Master," answered T'Lack, now both eager to please and afraid to fail.

Bratac climbed down to the bottom then waited for T'Lack to come back down. When he did, he reported that he could see the fort clearly and what was left of the city, as well as part of the gate field. T'Lack had not yet seen the devastation at Chulak and was visible shuttering from the shock. After calming down he reported that he could also see portions of the path between the city and the gate.

"Then this is how they could see and hit those important targets," T'Lack observed.

Bratac began looking on the ground. He pulled up another shell casing and showed it to his followers. This confirmed Bratac's speculation, and his value in the eyes of his students.

He then slowly began moving west. "Look, tracks, a small man. They are similar to the tracks around the gate. Each of their troops must where a similar boot. These tracks aren't quite a day old." He began to follow them.

One of his students asked, "Why are we following them, clearly they lead to the gate?"

Bratac stopped and looked at him. Bora was dull-witted, and unskilled. But he possessed two qualities that Bratac liked: he hated the Goa'uld-only following them out of necessity, and he always spoke his mind. In fact, you knew everything in it.

"Because-Bora, these tracks were made after the battle yesterday! This soldier is still here, and he is cunning and skillful. You must all leave me before we reach the gate. I must track him alone, or you will all get in my way."

Chal and T'Lack were offended. Bora seemed to accept the statement as a fact, and was even eager to leave Bratac to his work. Kral was the most eager of the four and asked, "It this warrior is so skilled, will it not be better to have at least one of us to help you? Can he not kill you?"

"No doubt he is able to kill me, but he will not. Quickly, we must separate. Tell no one of our query. T'Lack you must go to the fort and discretely take Kwan and Sa'Tol to the Chappa'ai path. Do not go through the forest, go by Chulak city. Meet Kral along the path. Kral, go around this forest to the west, and patrol the path. Do not stray too far from the gate.

"Chal, remain along the north edge of this forest, if I need you I will find you. Bora, you must go to the gate area. Assist Sho'ra at the gate and await my signal. Speak of this to no one. If you see any signs of this soldier, be careful, but do not attract the attention of any one but me, yourselves, or Kwan and Sa'Tol. Teal'c and Hon'Teck believed that these people can somehow help us. If so, we must help this soldier. I must be the one to make contact with him, Do you all understand?"

Even Kral responded in the affirmative. They would do his bidding, he just hoped they did not unwittingly give away their search.

And now, Bratac's hunt was on.


	2. Bratac's Hunt

_Bratac's__ Hunt!_ Bratac seeks for the missing soldier, and realizes someone else will need his help.

* * *

_Discipline. It's the crux of the soldier's life. Without it, you can get yourself killed-or worse, someone else. _

_The disciplined soldier follows order, and remembers his training. The disciplined soldier knows their place on the team, and carries out his duties. He prepares his resources: personal armor and garments, weapons, his mind and body. _

_A leader must carry this one step further. He must train his men and women. He must provide materials they will need for war. He must decide who will be an addition to the team, and who will be a detriment. _

_His leader failed him. His body is ready. His skill is sharp. But something in his mind is not prepared for battle._

_B_ratac moved briskly through the forest. The path was clear. The enemy soldier had not been careful, but had rushed toward the gate hurrying, hoping to get there and escape.

The enemy had all gone through the gate in early afternoon. At the earliest, these tracks were made in the evening. If he had been intended to stay behind, why did he rush so carelessly toward the gate? Why had the soldier waited so long to try and escape, especially in light of the orderly retreat Bratac had witnessed the day before? He was forced to one conclusion, the mind of this soldier was not orderly. Bratac must find him or much harm would come to the soldier, and to what Bratac hoped would become the cause of the Free Jaffa.

He noticed a particularly disheveled spot on the ground. This was late fall on Chulak, and the days were getting shorter. The soldier must have been hurrying in the dark, and fell. He must have rested here, either to regain bearing, composure, or both.

He continued on and came to a thicket. Much of the thicket was still in place, but torn clothes and broken thorns were signs of a desperation that was little affected by pain. He went around the thicket and found the soldier's exit point. Bratac continued on his trail. As he approached the gate, his trail became merged with the trails of others. There were bigger feet with the same boots. There were Jaffa tracks, and various other footprints, no doubt from the prisoners the aliens had taken.

Thunder boomed in the distance. Evening was drawing nigh. Rain and night would hurt his hunt. The falling leaves, however, would help.

He was now close to the gate, and he heard it open again. Nothing happened. Jaffa stood, now lessening their vigilance. Bratac wondered how long it had been since the last time it had opened. With no other event, the gate closed again.

He went down to the gate area and had Bora get Chal to meet him on the path to Chulak. There, he and his students would make a shelter and spend the night.

Bora reported that Sho'ra was caring for the Jaffa. She seemed to have developed an organized response. Dead Jaffa were being buried along the north edge in the field of Bratac's March, as some of his students were now calling it. Their graves were being marked.

The injured were being carried to the surrounding villages, as many as could be were being carried to their families for care. The same was being done at the fort, all under Sho'ra's direction.

To inspect the city she had asked that Curack personally escort her to Chulak and see to what was going on. He had said he would go in two days. Bratac felt dismay at this, and was tempted to go himself, but decided against that because he was now in the service of Klorel, and could be placed in a high position-or punished for failure. He had yet to figure out how he would protect the enemy spy, and win Klorel's trust at the same time, but he did not lack confidence.

It rained all night, and most of the next day.

During the night Bratac and his Jaffa slept under a large tree. They were wet, and cold. Bratac began to think of what a soldier might need.

"T'Lack, you did not report everything that you could see to us from the top of the tree."

T'Lack thought a moment. "What did I miss master?" now fully expecting a flogging in addition to being miserable.

"At first dawn I will head toward the southern hills. There are caves there, and a skilled hunter would know this. I believe our prey is almost already there." He stopped and then added, "The rain will make good tracks to follow. We will come close to him tomorrow."

Bora had been paying attention, "Then we will accompany you."

"Kral, and Chal will accompany me. The rest of you will patrol the path. See to it nothing crosses."

_It was hazy. That was strange considering the desert sand and the hot sun. The convoy rolled along the road briskly. It was an odd assortment of wheeled vehicles. What was the destination? _

_Naked-embarrassed. It did not matter, a job had to be done. Horrible, grotesque, hideous shapes draped in black hoods approached the convoy. "Fire!" Most of the shapes went down, the rest flew away. They examined the bodies of the fallen. Some had metal snake armor. Some had known faces. The last was a child._

Bratac was up even before dark. As promised Kral and Chal went with him. Sa'tol was the best of his students, but Bratac ordered him to report to Klorel. Kral was to stand back and keep Chal and Bratac just within sight. Chal was right next to Bratac. He would be eyes and ears and legs for the master.

Bratac had slept well, but had dreamed hard. He dreamed of Teal'c and awoke to two dilemmas. The first would be the struggle to retain Klorel's trust. He had earned it, but if he were away and hunting for someone he must not find, then Curack, or someone else, would make a play against him. Bratac could live with this, except for the second dilemma, Drey'auc of the Plains.

Bratac had wondered if Teal'c and Drey'auc would be a good match. Teal'c was a great warrior and had the instincts of a hunter, but Drey'auc was a blind spot for him. He loved her, and she did love him. But they were in different places. Teal'c questioned the gods, even if he was Apophis' most trusted warrior. _Look at where that got Apophis._ Drey'auc was wholly devoted to the gods. She genuinely loved them. But now her life was in danger because Teal'c would be branded Shova.

Bratac sent Bora to see to her safety. He was not to approach her, only protect her. He hoped they weren't too late. Drey'auc and her son would reap the seeds of Teal'c's treachery.

For most of the morning Bratac did not even look for tracks. He knew the hills well, and knew where some caves were, but not all of them. As they drew closer, Bratac began to go slower. He started searching the ground. Chal was silent and dared not ask any questions. Bratac would tell him what he needed and when.

The hill was wooded. It began to get steeper. Ultimately the hills went on for miles. There were caves in the lower parts of the hills, and in the higher part. He also knew that there was a waterfall where a river ran some distance to the south from the Choppa'ai.

He sent Chal south. The hills were lower there, and there were not as many caves. Bratac would go to the higher points. There were several caves to check, as well as the waterfall. Bratac could sense that the soldier would feel more secure with a view. He would seek such a place himself.

Kral would stay in the area and check some of the caves below where Bratac was hunting.

They split up. Bratac went straight up the hill and through the trees. After a few minutes he looked back and could not see either Kral, or Chal. He decided to look into several caves before going to the waterfall.

His only chance to find the alien was complete stealth. The soldier could not know he was coming. He used bushes to wipe most of his tracks. Where ever possible he walked on rocks, quietly. He kept his head low. He did not allow branches to break, or leaves to rustle. He did not slosh. He barely breathed. Watching him move was like watching grass grow, it was subtle and barely noticeable, and yet it grew.

As the afternoon wore on he paused to rest. He found a bush that would hide him, but still offered him a view. He saw nothing. But there was a fear dawning in his mind. He was missing something important. He kept thinking of Drey'auc. His men would report any trouble. With his mind bothered, he carefully got up and continued his search.

Within minutes he was at the first series of caves. They were shallow caves so he quickly search half-a-dozen caves with no sign of the soldier. The waterfall was about an hour away. He would have to spend the night there.

Finally the rain subsided. Bratac arrived at the time of the early dusk. He dared not go up to the waterfall yet, but he must sleep. With his own discipline, he mentally set an alarm that would wake him before dawn. This was the third night since the battle.

He awoke just when he wanted. The waterfall fell before him, about forty feet he thought. There was a cave behind the fall. The river then ran below him. The shore on both sides of the waterfall fell gradually, though more so in his side. The shoreline was rocky and would hide tracks well, unless someone disturbed the rocks.

Bratac watched carefully. On the other side of the river there was a ruffle of leaves. A few minutes later, some distance from the first disturbance there was the crack of a twig. Bratac did not move. He was well concealed, but any movement could give his position away.

He waited for a while longer. Nothing. After an hour he decided he needed to take the risk. He went to the waterfall, slowly, carefully. There was nothing behind the water. He stepped into the cave. There was nothing. He went out the other side. He watched as a couple of rodents scurried along the ground. He looked closely at the ground, moving toward the bushes that had rustled earlier that morning. Nothing. No boots, no torn clothes. No bent twigs.

He considered searching on the south side of the river, but he felt that only the animals had been there. He quickly went back behind the waterfall to his original side. He decided to leave there and head further east along the ridge near the top. There were still several caves, and the terrain was rockier.

Bratac now felt the impetus to move quickly. Something was gnawing at him. A picture began to form. He thought of the spot where the soldier had fallen just before going into the briars. Had he been mistaken?

He continued on finding no trace. He searched the caves in the rocks. He was less careful here and he wondered if that would hurt his chances of finding him soon. He needed to find the soldier soon.

He went back to Kral and found Chal. They met at the waterfall and slept in the caves behind the falls. This was now the fourth night since the attack on Chulak. He hoped Sa'tol was now on his way with the others at Teal'c's house. They would need his wisdom. Bratac also realized that their path the next day would lead them closer to Drey'auc. He would pause his search to personally look in on her.

Bratac was the first to wake, and roused the others. They spread out with Kral going to the south side of the river, and Bratac and Chal remaining on the north side. Bratac instructed them not to get to far apart and to move quietly, yet swiftly. If they found anything they were to send for him. As well as he had taught them, none of them gained all his knowledge. Teal'c alone could make the master use most of his skill.

They searched all morning. Bratac moved above the waterfall along the river on the north shore. He was moving to higher ground. He maintained his stealth, so that not even any of his Jaffa saw him.

The search slowed at noon, as his men ate. Bratac did not want to get too far ahead of them, so he quietly picked berries and otherwise went without.

Shortly after the meal Bratac noticed rustling to his left, further north of the river. He followed the sound. Chal had found a series of footprints. Bratac snuck up on him and even frightened his student.

Bratac saw the footprint, preserved in the mud from the rain two days before. There were several. He saw the bent bushes and broken path.

He also saw more than that. The man had struggled to kill and capture a rodent. There were knee prints, and hand prints.

Then, as if hit by a tree limb, it struck Bratac. The thing he had been missing finally came to him. But before he could announce his discovery, he heard noise in the distance.

"We will give up our search for now. We will go to the house of Teal'c."

"What? Why now? How can we find him if we give up?"

"Bora approaches in haste. Call for Kral. We will not find her today, but if we cause enough of a disturbance, perhaps she will follow us." Chal looked confused. "We are going to the house of Teal'c, his family is in grave danger. Our query is lost to us, but hopefully not us to her.

Chal still looked confused, "Her, Master?"

"Yes, this is the work of a woman. Now hurry!"

Bratac and Chal continued eastward and met Bora who described a column of Jaffa on their way to Teal'c's. Kral caught up with the others as they hurried on their way.

The hills sloped away from their path so that at the same time they were running east, they were descending the slope. It had been over four days since Klorel had gone to point forward, and Bratac had no notion of how long it would have taken him to realize that he could avenge himself on Drey'auc and Rya'c.

Bratac led his men down the hill, over a creek, and through a forest into the valley drawing closer to Teal'c's home. As they moved closer Bratac slowed, motioning to his men that they move carefully and quietly. They did not know what to expect. He'd hoped to run into the Jaffa column first, but he saw only the smoke of a large fire.

"Stay here," Bratac told the younger men, "I likely go to my death."

Chal stopped him. This surprised Bratac. Kral was brash, but Chal was wise. Chal spoke up, "You cannot go. They will believe you have compromised your hunt. But if I go, then they will believe you are still looking. I will tell them of our hunt. Then we must consider if we attack them."

Bratac weighed the words. Chal was right. "You must tell them that the alien soldier, a man, is nearby. He has come to secure the wife and son of the Shova. I am still hunting him, and we must use her as a trap. Once their guard is down to you, we will attack and you must take Teal'c's wife and son to safety."

Chal looked at the house. He saw the Jaffa there, realizing that brothers were about to fight a battle here, unless his tongue and mind were sharp. They were outnumbered, but somehow he believed Bratac could accomplish his task. "Master, there is one more thing of which I wish to speak to you."

"What is it Chal? We must be swift."

"Yes, Master. You must not be so brash in your wish to die. The Jaffa need you now more than they need their gods."

Bratac was stunned. "You speak foolishly. I would die free."

Chal turned away, shaking his head, wondering if his master would ever hear his words. He walked into the open toward the house.

Bratac watched Chal approach the charred house, hoping Drey'auc and Rya'c had been preserved. He looked closely and saw Curack. Further in the distance he could see that two of his men were holding Sho'ra by the arms. Two people, likely Drey'auc and Rya'c were on the ground next to a remaining wall.

Chal walked up to Curack briskly. He needed to hurry to save the lives of his friend's family. "You must be wary, Prime, Bratac sends this message. The enemy is near."

"Where is your leashmaster, Dog?" Curack asked. They shoved him on the ground next to Drey'auc and Rya'c, keeping their weapons trained on them. "Do not think me a fool? You have come to take the Shova's family. Do you not have the same master as Teal'c and Hon'teck?"

Drey'uac interrupted before Curack could say more, "I have been faithful to the gods. My husband is a fool. Spare my son and I will serve in the house of Klorel."

Chal was able to ascertain that Curack had made many of the charges against Teal'c known to Drey'auc. For his part, Rya'c remained silent, frightened as a child might be in these circumstances.

Curack had his men form a firing squad to finish Chal and the Shova's family.

Bratac could not hear everything that was being said, but he could see the firing line. He had already spread Bora and Kral out to create a field of fire. As he saw the firing line charge their staff weapons, Bratac breathed a deep sigh. _So this is how Teal'c and Hon'Teck felt. _Then-he charged his weapon-and fired.

He felt treasonous. He felt like a traitor. But his enemy was now the gods he had served, and these men still served. These Jaffa would not die free, but he would.

As the fire came in from the hills, Chal grabbed Drey'auc and Rya'c and pushed them around the corner away from the battle site. Bora and Kral also opened fire on Curack and his men.

Several Jaffa fell. These men had been trained by Curack, and not by Bratac. They did not seek cover, but rather formed an impressive, but vulnerable line. Bratac and his men had brought down a quarter of Curack's men before the return fire forced them under cover. The battle turned quickly from the attacker's favor by weight of sheer numbers.

Chal was unarmed and wanted to even the odds. He hoped by going around the house he could take one from a fallen Jaffa, or better still, disarm one of the combatants. He saw that Drey'auc and Rya'c made it into the woods for safety. He could see the confusion on Drey'auc's face, but explanations would have to wait until after the battle.

By the time he had gotten around the house several Jaffa, his brothers, were on the ground. Bratac did not miss and Kral was an expert marksmen. Bora simply liked to pull the trigger. Chal found a spot close to Curack, so he attacked.

Chal grabbed the weapon and tried to tear it away from Curack.

While they were fighting hand to hand, the other Jaffa had taken up firing positions under cover. Bratac ordered the others to retreat. He would hold them off while they went to find Sa'Tol and the others.

Bratac took out several more Jaffa, using duck and cover methods.

Chal could not wrest the staff from Curack. Chal was faster, and stronger, but Curack was more experienced, and used Chal's own weight against him, twisting and turning the staff and freeing it from Chal's grip.

Bratac tried to rush to Chal's side, but was met by several Jaffa, eager to prove themselves against the Shova and the greatest living Jaffa warrior. Bratac focused on the moment as Curack fired the weapon on Chal at short range. Chal fell to the ground. Then all went dark for Bratac. They had been outnumbered seven to one and could not win the battle against such odds. Even Bratac's skill could not stop so many.

When Bratac awoke he saw he was next to Drey'auc and Rya'c, on the ground next to a wall of Teal'c's home.

Curack and his men were lined up as an execution squad not ten feet from their intended victims. "Look above you Bratac," pointed Curack.

Bratac looked up and saw the sign of the Shova painted in white on Teal'c's home. Drey'auc held Rya'c as she wept. Rya'c remained quiet.

"It is a fitting place for you to die, is it not, _master_ Bratac?" Curack said with disgust. Bratac heard a woman's tears, coming from further away. He saw Sho'ra, weeping, still being held by Curack's men.

Curack began a long diatribe of charges against Bratac, and his men, whom he promised to hunt down and execute.

As Curack's monologue of charges against Bratac and his men lingered monotonously on, something kept drawing Bratac's attention to Curack's face. He was so fascinated that he ignored Curack's words, and his own pain, trying to focus. Finally he saw clearly that there was a strange red light on Curack's forehead. It danced slightly, but remained otherwise fixed in the middle of Curack's forehead.

Bratac stared at the strange red light on Curack's face, wondering what it might be. Was it a sign? Of what? As Curack primed his staff weapon, finally finished with his pontification, Bratac closed his eyes with repose, and listened to the staff weapon fire.

* * *

Be on the lookout for the next chapter, Shooter's Revenge.


End file.
